Barack Obama's presidential campaign had a pivotal moment, I believe, when he sank the three-point basketball shot in front of the troops. For many voters, this kind of thing strikes all the right chords: it shows athleticism, poise, a willingness to take risk, a sense of fun, and an almost undefinable coolness that has wide popular appeal.
For Obama to even attempt the shot was risky. A three pointer is not easy to make...
So, if he misses, espcially with an airball or a bad shot, he looks silly. And since he knows he's being videotaped (by the military) he knows a flub shot could result in another round of "he can't bowl"-type media dissing. It took guts to decide to take the shot in the first place.
Then, to actually sink the shot--on the first try--is just spectacular. The crowd roars with a full throated military gusto, and Obama laughs and smoothly takes the mic back.
Not many people could've made something that difficult look that easy. It's not his ball, it's not his usual court, he's in front of thousands, on tape, suffering from jet-lag, wired from a campaign, balancing a million thoughts on every subject in his brain, wearing a tie and a watch, not warmed up, and he still sinks the shot.
With just a tiny bit of rim.
Okay, so it wasn't nothin but net.